Surging Engine April 22, 2022, 05:34:13 pm I took the rig into a Ford truck and fleet center today (Torrance, Ca) for oil & filter and to check the fluid level in the driveline parking brake reservoir. I’ve used them before and have had good results. They completed the work, along with the usual “ multi-point inspection” (surprise! No additional work needed), I paid the bill, and drove off the lot. Right away I knew something was wrong. Engine surging, stuttering acceleration, low revs upon stopping. Gak! Around the block and back onto the lot. Corralled the service writer, described the symptoms, and was thankful to hear a positive-sounding “aha!” We popped the hood, he listened a second, I cut the engine, and he dove into the air cleaner. Sure enough, it looked fastened down, but wasn’t properly fitted. He removed the snap band, refitted the pieces, and voila! Started up and ran smoothly. To his credit, he got the mechanic out and showed him how it wasn’t fastened correctly. Good to go. I relate this story mainly to show how dramatic the effect can be of a simple misalignment of the air cleaner. It completely degraded the performance of the rig. So, next time somebody does one of those “free inspections,” make sure things are properly buttoned up before driving off! — Jon 9 Likes
Re: Surging Engine Reply #1 – April 22, 2022, 06:18:22 pm Glad it was an easy fix, Jon. The exact thing happened to me (a RV service center, not a Ford dealer). Luckily, I discovered and corrected the problem myself. It sure doesn’t take much, does it?
Re: Surging Engine Reply #2 – April 22, 2022, 06:37:36 pm The carelessness of the service technician caused a massive vacuum leak in the system and confused the engine control system. Glad it was under control quickly.
Re: Surging Engine Reply #3 – April 22, 2022, 07:05:12 pm The air filter housing and band can be difficult to align and snap into place; I did this chore many times on my and others’ LDs after cleaning or replacing the air filter. 2 Likes
Re: Surging Engine Reply #4 – April 22, 2022, 08:57:21 pm Wow great advice and good to know. I’ve swapped out a couple air filters on my own. Glad to know I must be doing it right!